This invention relates generally to self-checkout stations and, more particularly, to bagwells and bag supplies in self-checkout stations.
Self-checkout stations at grocery stores and other retail stores are well known. The stations permit a consumer to scan items for purchase so the station may identify the items and a corresponding price. When the consumer indicates all items for purchase have been presented to the terminal, a sub-total is accumulated, any taxes and discounts are computed, and a total amount due is displayed for the consumer. The station then allows the consumer to select a payment method. The station presents menu selections to the consumer so funds are transferred to the retailer""s account. Upon confirmation of payment, the items are released to the consumer.
A self-checkout station typically includes a terminal, a scanner and scales for reading unit price codes (UPC) and determining item weight, a cashier keypad and display, a POS terminal for payment entry, a receipt printer, a change unit, and a checkout area for holding items once they have been scanned. The terminal also includes a display, a processor, memory, programmed instructions, and data peripherals to control the operations of the station. The programmed instructions may contain modules for querying for item prices, computing totals and performing other functions related to the purchase of items through a self-checkout station. Some checkout station may also include a security application program that operates to reduce the likelihood that the consumer leaves without scanning all of the items or exchanges scanned items with more expensive items that have not been scanned.
Typically, two or more self-checkout stations are located proximately to one another with an attendant station nearby. The attendant may help consumers who may be using a self-checkout station for the first time, who are having trouble with scanning an item, or who are having difficulty with a payment method or the like. That is, the primary duty of the attendant is to provide assistance to customers who are using the self-checkout stations so they are efficiently used and quickly process customers with their checkouts. Although these attendants are available for reloading paper supplies for receipt printers and the like, such system maintenance duties actually detract from the performance of their primary duty.
In known self-checkout stations, a bagwell is provided in which one or more substantially horizontal members are mounted for holding a supply of bags. The bags are typically made of plastic or other polymer material and are collapsed to increase the bag capacity for a given volume of space. The bags typically have two walls that are joined at two side seams and a bottom seam so the walls oppose one another when the bag is opened. Integrally formed with these walls are typically U-shaped handles by which the bags may be carried when they are filled. In use, a customer pulls the outboard handle of the next available bag away from inboard handle to open the bag so items may be deposited in the bag during checkout. The position of the inboard handle on the extending member(s) that hold the bag supply help keep the bag open until the customer pulls the inboard handle from the extending member(s) to remove the bag from the bagwell. Typically, two or more sets of extending members are provided in the bagwell to hold bag supplies in a self-checkout station.
Of course, as customers remove their bags from the bagwell, they deplete the supply of bags for the self-checkout station. One resulting condition that frustrates the efficient use of self-checkout stations is exhausted bag supplies in a bagwell. In response to a customer""s exasperation over approaching a self-checkout station with depleted bag supplies, the self-checkout station attendant searches for one or more supplies of bags and reloads the extending members in the bagwell. However, during the interlude in which the attendant is searching for the bag supplies and placing the bags on the extending members, customers may be experiencing difficulties in using another self-checkout station and require instructional guidance from the attendant. As noted above, system maintenance diverts the attendant from performing the primary duty for which the attendant is placed at the attendant station.
What is needed is a way of notifying an attendant of a low bag supply before the supply is depleted so the attendant may schedule the reloading of the bag supply during a time when customers do not require immediate attention.
The above-noted limitations of bag supplies in previously known self-checkout stations have been overcome by a system and method that operate in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The system of the present invention comprises a bag supply monitor for measuring a bag supply in a checkout counter and a low supply signal generator coupled to the bag supply monitor for generating a low bag supply signal in response to the bag supply monitor detecting a low bag supply. The bag supply monitor may include a bag removal sensor for detecting removal of a bag from the bag supply and a counter coupled to the sensor for counting the number of bags detected by the bag removal sensor. The bag removal sensor may be comprised of the scale for the self-checkout station and a monitor program that receives weight data from the scale. When the monitor program detects an increase of weight on the scale followed by the return of the weight reading to approximately a no load balance, the monitor program detects a bag removal and may increment or decrement a counter for recording the bag removal. When the monitor program determines the count exceeds a low threshold or a high threshold, depending upon the direction of the bag counting, a low supply signal may be generated. The low supply signal may be a visual or audible indicator at the attendant station or the self-checkout counter. In response, the attendant may then search for another bag supply as conditions allow so the bag supply may be reloaded when the stations are not being heavily used or a customer does not require assistance.
In another embodiment of the invention, the sensor may be a movable arm mounted proximately one of the bags in the bag supply so it engages the outboard wall of the bag. When the bag is removed, the movable arm rotates outwardly away from the bag until the bag slides past the arm. The arm may be biased by a biasing member, such as a spring or the like, or it may be mounted vertically so it is biased by gravity. When the movable arm returns under the biasing force to a position proximate the outboard wall of the next bag, it is ready to detect the removal of the next bag. The movement of the arm opens and closes an electrical switch so the bag removal may be detected. The moveable arm may be located against a bag within the bag supply so the removal of that bag and subsequent bags indicates a low bag supply. Alternatively, the moveable arm may be located against the outermost bag of the supply so the counter may count each bag as it is removed. The movable arm may be mounted at the end of a horizontally displaceable member that is biased to retract within the bagwell towards the back wall of the bagwell. The biased retraction of the horizontally displaceable member urges the movable arm into engagement with the outermost bag of the bag supply so it is in position to count the next bag removal.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the bag removal sensor may be a light or other radiation detector. Such a detector may be located proximate the bagwell so that the opening of a bag and depositing items in it attenuates the reception of light or other radiation by the detector and the removal of the bag enables increased reception of the light or other radiation. This change in light or other radiation reception may be correlated to bag removal. Locating the radiation detector against one of the bags within the bag supply causes the detector to generate a bag removal signal when that bag is removed. The bag removal signal is used by the low bag supply to generate the low bag supply signal for the attendant. The radiation detector may also be mounted at the end of a horizontally displaceable member that is biased to retract within the bagwell towards the back wall of the bagwell. The biased retraction of the horizontally displaceable member urges the radiation detector into engagement with the outermost bag of the remaining bag supply after a bag is removed. As each bag is filled and removed, the detector generates a bag removal signal that may be counted by the counter. When the count exceeds the low bag supply threshold, the low bag supply generator generates the low bag supply signal.
In another embodiment of the present invention the bag supply monitor includes a biased, retractable arm having an outboard end that remains proximate the next available bag of a bag supply. As the bag supply diminishes the biasing force retracts the arm. The length of the retracted arm may be measured and used as an indication of how much of the bag supply has been used or the length of the arm extending into the bagwell may be measured to determine the amount of the remaining bag supply. Similarly, a row of radiation detectors may be used to determine the amount of remaining or used bag supply. Preferably, the radiation detectors may be mounted along the bottom wall of the bagwell so they detect increasing ambient light as the bags are removed so the detectors are exposed to the ambient light.
The method of the present invention includes detecting the removal of a bag from the bagwell of a self-checkout station; counting the detected removal of a bag; and generating a low bag supply signal in response to the removal bag counting exceeding a low bag supply threshold. The removal of a bag may be detected from the movement of a biased arm, the change in a measured weight on a scale incorporated with the self-checkout station, or the attenuation of radiation reception at a radiation detector. The low bag supply threshold may correspond to a remaining number of bags in the supply or to a number of removed bags. The method also re-initializes the counter in response to the reloading of the bag supply. The low bag supply signal generated by the method may be a visual or audible signal sent to the attendant""s station or activated at the self-checkout station.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an indication of a low bag supply for a checkout station before depletion of the bag supply.
It is an object of the present invention to generate a signal regarding low bag supply so the attendant may schedule the reloading of the bag supply.
It is an object of the present invention to enable attendants of self-checkout stations to remain available for instructing customers regarding the use of a self-checkout station.